This invention relates to an electronic apparatus, such as a mobile telephone apparatus, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a notebook-type personal computer, having a folding function, and to a hinge portion or mechanism for providing the folding function to the electronic apparatus.
As an electronic apparatus of the type, a folding-type mobile telephone apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a keyboard-side casing 101 with a keyboard mounted thereon, a board 103 mounted to the keyboard-side casing 101, an LCD-side casing 105 provided with an LCD mounted thereon and hinge-connected to the keyboard-side casing 101, a board 107 mounted to the LCD-side casing 105, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) 109 as a flexible conductor element electrically connecting the boards 103 and 107 to each other. The FPC 109 has a first and a second end and an intermediate portion therebetween. The first end of the FPC 109 is connected to a connector 110 mounted on the board 103. The second end of the FPC 109 is connected to a connector (not shown) mounted on the board 107. The intermediate portion of the FPC 109 is unneatly arranged without any special care in the vicinity of a hinge portion 111 between the keyboard-side casing 101 and the LCD-side casing 105.
The mobile telephone apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is disadvantageous in the following respect. Every time when a folding operation is repeated, the FPC 109 is subjected to a stress. Such stress may result in disconnection of the FPC 109 from the connector 110 or interruption of a conductor in the FPC 109.
In addition, there is a problem in appearance that the FPC 109 unneatly arranged around the hinge portion 111 can be seen through a gap between the casings 101 and 105. Since the FPC 109 must be arranged in the vicinity of the hinge portion 111, assembling of the apparatus is difficult.
Japanese Patent Publication (B) No. 2729581 or 2926212 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising two casings hinge-connected by a hinge portion and a cylindrical element called a hinge connector arranged adjacent to the hinge portion. The FPC is incorporated into the cylindrical element. However, due to mounting error and dimensional tolerance of various elements, the cylindrical element may not be incorporated to the electronic apparatus or the hinge portion may be subjected to a stress after incorporating the cylindrical element.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a folding-type electronic apparatus which is resistant against repetition of a folding operation, excellent in appearance, easy in assembling, and suppressed in possibility of occurrence of a stress in a hinge portion after assembling.
It is another object of this invention to provide a hinge connector which is usable in the electronic apparatus.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hinge connector for use in an electronic apparatus which comprises first and second base members for mounting first and second electric elements, respectively. The hinge connector comprises a hinge element having a receptacle portion and connecting the first and the second base members so that the first and the second base members are rotatable around a predetermined axis with respect to each other. The hinge connector further comprises a flexible conductor element for electrically connecting the first and the second electric elements to each other. The flexible conductor element has both end portions adapted to be connected to the first and the second electric elements, respectively, and an intermediate portion located between the both end portions and received in the receptacle portion of the hinge element.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus which comprises a first base member for mounting a first electric element, a second base member for mounting a second electric element, a hinge element having a receptacle portion and for connecting the first and the second base members so that the first and the second base members are rotatable around a predetermined axis with respect to each other, and a flexible conductor element electrically connecting the first and the second electric elements to each other. The flexible conductor element has both end portions connected to the first and the second electric elements, respectively, and an intermediate portion located between the both end portions and received in the receptacle portion of the hinge element.